Re-calibrating my heart to God’s invitations.
Our Nativity scene
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our maker!
Psalm 95:6
I’ve been pondering worship for a long time–years really. Is it merely a synonym for what I do on Sunday morning? Is it only the part of the Sunday morning service that involves singing?
My answer is no. Worship is so much more. Psalm 95, the Garden of Gethsemane, my desire to trust, and the Christmas narrative have all given me glimpses into my understanding of worship.
When Jesus invited Peter, James, and John to accompany him to Gethsemane before his crucifixion, he had one request for them, watch and pray. He was asking them to be spiritually awake, to have the alertness of a night-time guard who does not have the advantage of light, to be hyper-vigilant. Kind of like the shepherds who were guarding the sheep the night Jesus was born.
Watching must be a part of worship. God is asking me to be awake and alert to his activity all around me, to uses all my senses, not only what my eyes see.
“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.'” Luke 2:15. The shepherd’s worship started with being aware, aware that the message of the angels was a message from God. And they trusted. I’m thinking, even their journey was an act of worship.
Their worship was contagious. “… all who heard it (about the birth of Jesus) wondered at what the shepherds told them.” Luke 2:18. “… Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19. “And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God …” Luke 2:20. (underlines mine)
The wise men, those familiar with Old Testament prophecy, followed a star to find Jesus. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts …” Matthew 2:10,11.
The wise men also trusted. Their worship also began with a journey, and led to rejoicing, awe, and giving gifts, a great celebration.
The shepherds and the wise men hurried to be with Jesus, into his physical presence. An appropriate response to the invitation they received to come into his presence.
I too want to respond in worship to the invitation that is always there for me to come into his presence. I want to watch, to be hyper-vigilant to the activity of God all around me; I want to respond in trust like the shepherds and the wise men; I want the experience of celebration to characterize my worship on normal everyday Tuesdays and on the wonder that Christmas day brings.
I love the traditional Christmas hymn, Angels from the Realms of Glory. Click here to be reminded of the Christmas story and our invitation to come and worship.
Next Thursday, Echoes of Grace is on Christmas break. I look forward to being back with you in the new year starting January 4, 2018.
And if you haven’t read of some of the other invitations Christmas brings, please scroll down and read, Come to Me all who Labor and are Heavy Laden, November 30.
Come and Have Breakfast, December 7.
Come and Return, December 14.